Chain welding



June 30, 1942. F. H. SPEED ETAL 2,288,494

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June 30, 1942.

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CHAIN' WELDING Filed Aug. l, 1941 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 June 30, 1942. F, H, SPEED ErAL 2,288,494

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:ESG u 22852? Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIN WELDING Application August 1, 1941, Serial No. 405,056

(Cl. 21S-5) 19 Claims.

This invention relates to electric chain Welding and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for automatically electrically welding the open ends of the links in the manufacture of load chains.

The main object of the invention is an apparatus and method by which the links of a load chain are electrically welded automatically so that all the operator need do is to place a chain in the machine, start it, stop it when the alternate links have been welded and remove the chain from the machine. To complete the chain, it is run through the machine again to weld the alternate links which were not welded in the first run.

Another object of our invention is an apparatus and method by which the welds of the chain links are made stronger and more uniform than heretofore.

A general requirement for classcation as a commercial load chain is a chain which has the strength to withstand heavy intermittent loads and in which the welds of the links are at least equal in strength to the strength of the remainder of the links. chains are formed of steel wire of diameters in the range from about 322;" to Tt.

While many attempts have been made to design and construct a completely automatic load chain welder, these attempts, so far as we are aware, have been unsuccessful because of the lack of uniformity in the welds of the links whereby some of the link welds at least have less strength than is necessary in a commercial load chain.

The difliculty has been that it has heretofore been necessary to form the chain welds with a very substantial amount of burr in order that the metal of the burr may retain its heat during the swaging of the weld so that the swaging may be properly performed to produce as good a weld as was possible. To produce this large burr it was necessary to heat the metal of the link a considerable distance back from the contacting ends of the link, that is, there was a spread of the heat for a substantial distance back of the link ends. To accomplish this the electrodes gripped the link a considerable distance back from its ends so that the ends of the link extended beyond the electrodes a distance more than one-half the diameter of the link. Also it was necessary to maintain the electric welding current for a length of time suicient to heat the relatively large amount of metal necessary to make the weld. The ends of the link were Usually the links of such most highly heated and therefore most plastic. The plasticity of the metal decreased from the ends into the link to points where the metal was not plastic at all. These points, one in each link, provided hard metal between which the plastic metal was compressed by the push-up and was in part extruded into the burr. Because of the large heat spread and the unavoidable variation in the links themselves these points varied to such a degree that an invariable automatic push-up was not possible. A variability in the push-up was therefore required. Hence the amount of the push-up had to be'under the manual control of the operator. It has therefore beenthe practice for many years in the electric welding of load chains for the operator to control the character of the push-up. This required highly skilled operators who, only after a long practice, were able to secure just the right push-up, which might vary with different links, that was necessary to make the best weld possible.

One of the features of our invention is that we reduce the variations in the heated metal to a minimum so that an automatic invariable push-up will produce commercially uniform welds of maximum strength. To this end we confine the heat spread close to the abutting ends of the link so that the hard metal back of the soft metal is likewise close to those ends. We cause our electrodes to clamp the links close to the abutting ends and limit the duration of the welding current flow so as not to overheat the metal to be welded and confine the plastic metal to the abutting ends of the link between the pairs of electrodes. The distance of the push-up is small and the extruded burr is small. We do not swage this small annular burr because practice has shown that swaging a small annular burr cools quickly the metal in its periphery and makes it hard and brittle and when the link is swaged some of this hard brittle or dross metal, particularly at the top and bottom of the weld, is squeezed into the link thereby reducing the amount of good metal in the weld and weakening it. This is the defect known as necking We have found that this difficulty is overcome by trimming off the top, outside and bottom of the burr before swaging.

This leaves only a very small amount of metal, almost all on the inside of the link, to be swaged. Most of this metal is broken olf in the swaging and what is left is so small in amount that little or no dross metal is squeezed into the weld and `close to its abutting ends.

the defect of necking is entirely eliminated or rendered negligible.

In the former practice the necessity for a considerable push-up, required to produce a large burr, involved in many instances severe strains in the portion of'the link diametrically opposite pressure, which was high enough to work all the metal in the large heat spread, would not be practicable because such pressure would cause so great a push-up as to` distort the welded link objectionably. It is a known fact that the heatingof metal to a welding temperature results in an open grain and, unless it is subsequentlyl worked by pressure, the grain remains open and the metal weakened. Thus it has been found that in load chains heretofore welded the metal adjacent each side of the weld is apt to be the weakest metal in the link due to its open grain character of unworked, but heated, metal.

By confining the heat spread in a narrow band, we are able to apply sufficient pressure in a relatively small push-up to work and refine all the metal in the band of which the grain has been opened by the heat, so that it is made close grained and stronger. Links welded in accordance with our process therefore are free from distortion and have a close grain throughout and undiminished strength.

In the use of our machine the following operations constitute a cycle, taking as the end of the cycle the bringing of an unwelded link into welding position. The nesting dies move towards one another to press against the outer ends of the link and to press the ends of the link to be welded together with a critical predetermined pressure varying withgauge and type of link and material. The pairs of electrodes move forward and grip the top and bottom of the link The welding current is turned on and ilows for a predetermined length of timeA to raise the abutting ends of the link to welding temperature. The electrodes are disengaged from the link. One of the nesting dies is moved to press the ends of the link together a predetermined distance thereby forming the weld and a small burr around the weld. 'I'he electrodes are drawn back. A cutter is brought into position and is operated toA trim 01T the burr on the outside, top and bottom of the weld. Swaging dies operate to form a iin or ns from the remainder of the burr and to break oi those fins and swage the metal and improve its grain. The nesting dies are withdrawn from the outer ends of the link. The sheave, on which the chain is mounted, is rotated to remove the welded link and bring the next link to be welded into welding position.

This completes the cycle of operation in welding the link.

Fig. 1 shows schematically in elevation a link in welding position, nesting dies which press against the outer ends of the link, the burr cutter and the swaging dies, omitting the chain carrying sheave.

Fig. 2 shows in plan the sheave on which the chain is mounted, which is not shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows in plan a link held by the nesting dies with the ends to be welded pressed against one another and also the ends of the upper electrodes.

Fig. 4 shows in plan the link with the burr around the weld and the burr cutter brought into alignment with the burr and about to trim oir the burr. l

Fig. 5 is a cross-section in elevation of the link and the burr and shows the cutter operating to cut off the portions of the burr on the outside, the top and the bottom of the weld.

Fig. 6 shows a sectional end elevation of the link and what remains of the burr after theoperation of the cutter and also a pair of swaging dies about to be brought against the link.

Fig. 7 shows the pair of swaging dies at the ends of their stroke and the fins of metal which have been pushed out by their swaging operation. f

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show pairs of dies with legs of unequal length which cut off the ns of the burr.

Figs. 11 to 14 show the mechanism for operating the burr cutter, Fig. 11 being a plan thereof Fig. 12 being a front elevation; Fig. 13 being a sectional view taken along the line I3-l3 of Fig. 11; and Fig. 14 being a section along the line Ill-II of Fig. 11 with part of the frame broken away.

Fig. 15 shows in plan, partly in section, the mechanism which causes the push-up of the ends of the link with its resultant burr, as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 16 is an end elevation of certain parts of the machine some of which operate the mechanism of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a detail of the shaft and ratchets shown in Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a side elevation of the electrodes and their operating mechanism, of the swaging dies and their operating mechanism and of the chain carrying sheave and its operating mechanism with the parts inwelding position at 60 in the cycle.

Fig. 19 is an end elevation of the upper swaging dies. y

Fig. 20 is a detail of the mechanism for rotating a swaging die turret, taken on line 20-20 of Fig. 19.

Fig. 21 is a horizontal cross-section taken on the line 2l2| of Fig. 19.

Fig. 22 is a plan View of the operating mechanism of the machine including the main cam shaft at the beginning of the cycle.

Fig.l 23 is a diagram illustrating the sequential operations of the mechanism in one cycle of the machine.

Fig. 24 is a diagram of the electrical devices and circuits.

Fig. 25 diagrammatically illustrates switch control cams at 0 in the cycle.

Fig. 26 diagrammatically illustrates the saine cams at 60 in the cycle.

A cycle in the operation of the machine will rst be described, assuming that the parts are, as shown in Fig. 1, with an unwelded link A in welding position.

The toggles al, a2 and a3, a4, Fig. 1 are straightened to force the nesting dies a5 and ai against the outer ends of the link A to press the ends to be welded against one another, as shown in Fig. 3. The left-hand die a5 is pressed unyieldingly, but the right-hand die a6 is pressed with yielding pressure as will be described.

The pairs of electrodes, of which the ends of the upper members bl, b3 are shown in Fig. 3, are advanced and clamped upon the tops and bottoms of the ends of the link preferably closely adjacent to the abutted ends of the link. The distance from an electrode to the end of the link gripped by it is preferably 10 to 30% the diameter of the link, the optimum being about 20%. This limits the heat and the plastic metal to a small volume at the end of each link and provides cold hard metal close to the ends of the link, in effect in line with the sides of the electrodes next to the abutting ends.

The welding current is turned on by a switch operated from the main cam shaft B, Fig.' 22, which switch initiates the operation of a tube timer which controls the duration of the current flow. This tube timer may be either a definite time timer or a compensating time" timer, the latter controlling the duration of the welding current by the heat units imparted to each weld. The flow of the current across the ends to be welded softens the metal of those ends between the pairs of electrodes. volume of metal at the-ends of the link to be heated the duration of the current flow may be materially less'than in the prior practice in which the electrodes clamped the link at a greater distance from its ends. For example, with a link one-half an inch in diameter, the current need flow no more than 2 seconds, and

Because of the smallr usually less, compared with '7 or 8 seconds in the l lcreate the burr, Fig. 4. This is the pushup.

The electrodes are disengaged from the link preferably before the push-up and begin to retract just before the push-up starts.

The cutter D is now operated to cut off a very substantialA amount of the burr. The cutter, Fig. 5, has an open semi-circular notch near its end, the sides of which are adapted to engage and t closely about approximately the semicircumference of the link with cutting edges extending to the edge of the cutter.

The cutter D is shown in Fig. 1 in inoperative position Where it is out of the path of movement of the electrodes. To bring the cutter to cutting position as shown in Fig. 4, it is moved to the right, downward and then forward. From its position in Fig. 4 it is moved again to the right to cut off the burr. To restore it to inoperative position, Fig. 1, its movements are reversed.

The removal of the burr on the top, bottom and swaging dies e'l, e2, by which the burr on thel inside of the link, shown in Fig.` 6, is pressed and extruded in a fin e9' on the inside of the link. A very small fln elll is extruded on the outside of ,the link which iin is formed of the metal left on or near the outside of the link because the cutter D must have some tolerance in its fit on that part of the link.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show the operation of the -rotation of the cam shaft, Fig. 23.

other pairs of swaging dies e3, el, and e5, e6 and e1, el, respectively, by which the burrs are broken oi and removed.

The swaging dies are mounted in two turrets ell and el! shown in Fig. 1. The turrets are intermittently rotated in the blocks in which they are carried and the blocks are suitably reciprocated toward and from each other by mechanism to be described.

The swaging, following the cutting, leaves only a very small amount, in fact a negligible amount, of the burr which is pressed into the soft metal of the weld.

The swaging operation completes the formation of the weld.

The result is a weld that is free from objectionable necking, from distortion and from open grain metal. It is therefore stronger than the welds heretofore made on machines which have been used for electrically Welding the links of load chains.

Thereafter the nesting dies a5 and a6 are withdrawn by the breaking of the toggles al, a2 and a3, a4 and the push-up mechanism is restored to its retracted position shown in Fig. 1.

The chain carrying sheave fl is rotated one step to remove the'welded link and to bring the next unwelded link, lying in the same plane, into welding position.

This completes the cycle of the machine.

The mechanism by which the devices above described are actuated will now be described in the order nwhich they operate in the cycle of the machine. v

The nesting dies, Fig. l, are closed upon the link as follows. The cam shaft B is provided with two cams a'l and a8, Fig. 22, each of which has a cam groove into which projects a roller a9 on the end of an arm alu on shaft all. 'I'he cams begin to rock the shafts all shortly (about 6, Fig. 23) after what may be called 0 position of the cam shaft, after the link A has been brought to welding position as shown in Fig. 1. The rocking of the shafts all lifts the arms al2 and the links al 3 to straighten the toggles and to press the nesting dies against the outer ends of the link as shown in`Figs. 2 and 3. The lefthand die a5 is positively actuated. The righthand die a6 is yieldingly actuated. The straightening of the toggle a3, al tends to move the housing n.20 to the right. This housing contains a chamber a2l in which there is a piston a2! secured to the end of rod c25, which at this time is stationary. The movement of the housing a20 is cushioned by the air under pressure in the chamber a2l so that the pressure of the die a6 on the outer end of the link is yielding.

Preferably the chamber a2| communicates through a pipe with a tank a60 of air underv der that pressure above that contained in cham- K ber a2l.

The electrodes, of which there are two pairs, start their forward movement at about 18 of Each pair consists of an upper member b3 and a lower member b4, Fig. 18. Each pair of electrodes is pivotally mounted in a slide b5, Fig. 22, in guides on the frame of the machine. Each slide is reciprocated by a cam h6 on the cam shaft B. The cam has a groove into which projects roller b8, connected through a rod b9 to the slide b5. The

forward movement of the electrode to the position shown in Fig. 18 is accomplished at about 46 rotation of the cam shaft, Fig. 23. The link engaging ends of the electrodes are held open against the tension of springs blll, bill 'by the rollers, bll, bll, Fig. 18, until the ends are in position to engage the link. Then the rollers are separated by the rocking of the shafts bl2, bl2,

which are geared together, and the separation` of the arms bl3, bl3 carrying the rollers. The shaft bl2 is rocked by the arm bl5 provided with a roller bil which is operated by` cam bIB on the cam shaft. The electrodes are closed on the link at the end of about 60 rotation of the cam shaft.

The cam shaft B, Fig. 22, is operated by a reduction gearing 2, 3 from the counter shaft I. The latter is driven through a clutch 5 from the motor 6.

After the cam shaft B has rotated about 60 the clutch 5 on the counter shaft is disengaged and the cam shaft is stopped by the application of a suitable brake not shown. The cam shaft remains stationary while the welding current passes through the link. After a length of time, predetermined by the setting -of the tube timer, the current is cut olf and the cam shaft B restarted by the closing of the clutch 5, as will be described in connection with the electrical devices embodied in the machine as illustrated in Figs. 24-26.

When the cam shaft restarts, the cam bl6 operates the rollers bll on the end of the arms bl3 to pressthe rollers onto the rear ends of the electrodes, Fig. 18, and separate the forward ends of the electrodes from the link.

At about 75 of, rotation of the cam shaft, the electrodes begin to be retracted by the cams h6, h6 which retract the slides b5, b5 in whichthe electrodes are pivotally mounted. The electrodes are fully retracted at about 105 of the rotation of the cam shaft.

The push-up is started at about '78 vof the rotation of the cam shaft and may be completed at about 90, Fig. 23.

Before the push-up, the mechanism by which the push-up is performed is in the position shown in Fig. 15. The rod a25 is held in a stationary position to the right. As pointed out in connection with Fig. 1, the rod is provided at its lefthand end with a vpiston a2! in the chamber all in the housing a provided with the toggle a3, a4, which is now straightened.

The rod c25, Fig. 15, has aftlxed to it a collar a28 which has ratchet teeth n.21 on its left-hand side. This collar abuts against a cross-head a28 also amxed to the rod. At each end this cross-head is provided with bolts a29 having coli lars a3!) amxed thereto at the left-hand ends. Bearing against each collar is a spring a3l surrounding the bolts, the right-hand end of which bears against a collar u32 loose on the bolt .but

` amxed to the frame of the machine. The springs ail. being under tension'l tend to force the crosshead and the rod a to the left, but there is loosely mounted on the rod a sleevev a33 having at its right-hand end a ratchet a3! with teeth which are complementary to the teeth e121` on the collar a26 on the rod c25. This sleeve, through a ball bearing a35, bears against an abutment a secured to the frame of the machine.'

In the position shown in Fig. 15, the ends of the teeth on the ratchet a21 and on the rod bear against the tops of the teeth o n the ratchet au on the sleeve n.33 and thereby prevent the springs a3l from moving the rod a25 to the left.

At about '78 of the rotation of the cam shaft,

the sleeve a33 is rotated sufficiently to move the teeth on the ratchet a34 beyond the ratchet teeth a2'l on the collar a26 on the rod c25. ,This rotation is performed by a cam a3'l, Figs. 16 and 22, on the main cam shaft B, which operates a roller 138 on the end of one arm a39 of a' bell crank lever pivoted at a4l), Fig. 1. The other arm all of the bell crank lever is pivoted to a rod a42 which oscillates the lower end of an arm a43 loosely journaled on the sleeve a. This arm carries a pawl a, Fig. 17, which is adapted to engage a ratchet a45 fast to the sleeve a33. At the appropriate moment the sleeve al! is slightly rotated to release the ratchet collar 'G21 on the IOd G25, Fig. 15.

Near the left-hand end of the rod a25 there is a nut a threaded on the rod c25 so as to be adjustable thereon. 'I'he nut alS, when the rod a25 is forced by the springs a3l to the left, bears against the bushing al1 screwed into the housing a20. Thus, when the sleeve a33 is slightly rotated, as above described, the housing a20 is forced to the left and, by the springs all through the straightened toggle a3, al, Fig. 1, presses the right-hand end of the link positively against the left-hand end. By adjusting the positicn of the nut a46, Fig. 15, on the rod a!! the distance of the push-up may be adjusted. The nut a48 is a lock nut. Screwed on the righthand threaded end of the rod a25 is a nut a5! which can be adjusted so as to be a certain dis,- tance from a bearing a54 on the frame, thereby limiting the distance which the rod c25 can be moved to the left when thev ratchet teeth all anda are disengaged. Nut 1153 is a lock nut.

The push-up dwells from about 90 to 105 of the rotation of the main cam shaft B, Fig. 23. Then another cam d on shaft B, Fig. 16, independently operates another ratchet ail fixed on sleeve a33 through similar operating mech-A anism which includes a cam roller G55, lever a,

connecting ling a5'l, arm a58 and pawl als, to turn the sleeve a33 slightly, Fig.15, to cause the teeth on the ratchet a34 to ride against the inclines of the teeth a21 of the ratchet 126 on the rod a25 and thereby force the rod to the right and restore the parts to the position shown in Fig. 15. This completes the action of the push-up.

The mechanism for operating the burr cutter D begins to operate at about 96 of the rotation of the cam shaft, Fig. 23. The cutter has a compound movement to the right and downward and then a forward movement to bring it to the position shown in Fig. 4. It is then given a movement to right, Fig. 4, to trim ofi the burr 'on the top, the outside and the bottom of the block d4 is secured a rack dl which meshes with the piniondl splined on shaft d1 which is mounted in a bearing d8 on the frame of the machine. Fastened to the shaft d1, Figs. 11 and 13, is another pinion dS which meshes with a segmental gear dll) fast on shaft dll, Figs. 13 and 14. On the shaft dll, Fig. 13, is fastened an arm dl2, theI upper end of which is pivoted to a link dl3 pivoted at dll-to an arm dl5 fast on the shaft dl6. y

To move the cutter to the right, the shaft dIS is rocked .by cam dl'l on the main shaft B, Fig. 22, into a groove in whichfoam projects'a roller dl on the end of another arm ls fast on shaft dIB. This rocks the segmental gear dll), the pinion d! and the shaft dl, Fig. 12. The pinion d6 on shaft d1, Fig. 12, meshing with the rack dl, moves the block d4 and with it the cutter D a certain distance to the right.

At the same time the cutter D is moved downward as follows: The lever d2, carrying the cutter D, has at its left-hand end a roller d which projects into a cam groove d2! in a plate 122 which is mounted on and secured to block d5, Fig. 14. When the block d4, on which lever d2 is Ipivoted, is moved to the right, the roller d20 rides in the cam groove d2| and, being lifted thereby, it depresses the right-hand end of lever d2 to move the cutter D downward. This brings the notch in the cutter in the same horizontal plane as the chain link A which is in welding position.

The cutter then is moved forward so that its notch is in alignment with the link as shown in Fig. 4. To accomplish this; the block d5, on which the block d4 is slidably mounted, Fig. 12, has bearings d23 on the frame, Fig. 13, so as to be capable of sliding forward and rearward. To the rear end of theblock d5, Fig. 14, is pivoteda rod d24, which is operated by cam d on the main shaft B. This cam operates a roller d26 on the end of an arm d21, pivoted at d28 on the frame, to move the rod du and the block d5 forward. As block d4 is mounted on block d5 and the cutter D is secured in the lever d2 pivoted on block d4, the forward movement of the block d5 carries the end of the cutter D forward into the position shown in Fig. 4.

To cause the cutter D to move to the right and trim the burr, the block d4 is given a further movement to the right by another rocking of the shaft dl6 by the cam dll on the cam shaft. This, through the connections dl, dl 4, dl3, dl2 and dl I, moves the segmental gear dl 0, which turnsy the pinions 119 and d6 which latter moves the rack dl fast on the block dll.

This movement to the right of the cutter D moves it along the welded link ends to trim off the burr on the outside, the top and the bottom of the weld. Fig. 5 shows the cutter in position with its notch embracing the link just before it trims off the burr. After the burr has been trimmed off on the outside, the top and bottom of the weld, the remaining vportion of the burr is on the inside of the link as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The cutter D may have its cutting notch so cut out or Ymay be so operated that it does not trim off thel outside of the burr but only the top and the bottom. In fact it may be so constructed or operated as to trim off only either the top or the bottom. It is more important to trim off the top and bottom of the burr because it is those portions of the metal which are not so fully removed by the subsequent swaging and therefore cause undesirable necking, while the metal of the burr on the outside may be substan tially removed by the swaging.

The cutter, having performed its burr trimming operation, is then drawn to the left, moved rearwards and lifted and again moved further to the left to restore it to its original position, shown in Figs. 1 and 11, by a reversal of the operation of the mechanisms above described by their respective cams dl1 and 125 on the cam shaft B.

The trimming off and removal of so much of I the burr, amounting in itself to about 65%, is

of the greatest importance because it enables the removal of an even larger percentage of the extruded metal which, in the form of dross would otherwise have been forced back into the good metal of the link and which would have had the effect of necking. This necking in the operation of electric load chain welding as performed prior to our invention has materially weakened the link at the Weld.

The swaging operation begins at about 180 of the rotation of the cam shaft, Fig. 23. There are four sets of swaging dies as indicated in Fig. 1. Each set is carried by a turret el I, cl2, which is rotatably mounted on a block cl3 slidably mounted on the frame ell of the machine, Fig. 18. A cam a8 on the cam shaft B operates a roller e|5 which extends into a groove in the cam. The roller is on the end of an arm elli Ipivotally connected to the rod ell, Fig. 22. The rearward movement of the rod raises the lower slide cl3 through the connections el8 and lowers the upper slide cl3 through the connections eIS.

Both of these connections operate through springs e30, Fig. 18, thereby permitting precise control of the pressure. This -brings the swaging dies, shown in Fig. 6, down onto the link and swages the metal and causes extrusion of the fins, as shown in Fig. 7.

The forward movement of the rod ell, Fig. 18, lowers the lower swaging slide e|3 and lifts the upper swaging slide el3. In this movement, the turrets carrying the dies are rotated 90 by the mechanism shown in Figs. 19, 20 and 21. The shaft 620 of each turret has secured to it a ratchet e2| which is engaged by pawls e22 on a disc 623 having a pinion e24 loose on the shaft 620. In the rise of the turret (having reference now to the upper turret shown in Fig. 20) the pinion is given a quarter turn by engagement with the rack c25 on the frame of the machine. The pawls e22 on the disc e23, secured to the pinion, therefore turn the shaft and turret The index disc eZB, secured to the shaft, is locked in position by the dog eZ'I pivoted on the slide and pressed by the spring e28. When the slide and turret rise, thisdog is disengaged from the notch in the index disc by its end being depressed by contact with the stud e2! on the frame. As the slide and turret descend, this end of the dog descends below this stud 629 and the spring 628 causes the dog to engage with one of the notches on the index disc thereby locking the turret against rotational movement in its swaging operation. A duplicate of this mechanism turns and locks the lower swaging turret.

In the second swaging movement of the swaging turrets the dies shown in Fig. 8 operate upon the link. Each die has one lip longer than the other so as to bend and break .off the fins shownv in Fig. '7.

The next operation of the swaging turrets brings the set of dies shown in Fig. 9 against the link which further break oil? the fins and the fourth operation of the swaging turrets brings the dies shown in Fig. 10 into operation to complete the removal of the fins and the swaging of the link. Y

These swaging operations take from about to about 324 of the rotation of the cam shaft, Fig. 23.

The nesting dies, which engage the outer ends of the link, are withdrawn beginning at about 321 of the rotation of the cam shaft. The same cam and mechanism which cause the straightening of the toggles, Fig. 1, operate to break these chain link into welding position at about 336 of the rotation of the cam shift. A cam a1 on the cam shaft B has a groove into which extends a roller f2 on a lever f3 pivoted at its top to a stud f4 on the frame and at its lower end to the rod f5 extending to the front of the machine, Fig. 18. This rod has an arm loose on shaft f6 and carrying a pawl f1 which engages with a ratchet f8 secured to said shaft. The shaft has a beveled pinion i9 which meshes with the bevel gear flo on the vertical shaft fl I, which, through a universal link flZ, turns the vertical shaft H3. This vertical shaft through a chain of gears rotates the vertical shaft fil, to the upper end of which is secured the sheave fl which engages the chain, Figs. 2 and 422. The operation of the cam a1 on the cam shaft B advances the sheave an amount equal to the interval between one link and the next alternate successive link which lies in the same plane.

To facilitate the movement of the chain, the sheaves fl over which the chain moves, Fig. 22, are caused to advance an equal amount by the mechanism shown in Fig. 18. The vertical shaft fl3 has a beveled pinion f|6 which engages with a beveled gear fl'l on a shaft fl8 which through idle pinion JI9 and pinion 20 fast on shaft f2! turns one of the sheaves carrying the chain. A

similar gearing operates the other sheave fl 5 but in the opposite direction. In mounting the chain on the sheaves, which may be frictionally adjustl fable, a definite slack should be present on the feed-in side of the chain carrying sheave fl and the sheave IIS, suicient to allow for proper weld take up.

When the chain carrying sheave has brought the fresl link to welding position it is held in that position by a detent f22, Fig. 18, which engages the ratchet f8 on the shaft f6. The cam a1 on the cam shaft returns the rod f5 with its arm and pawl f1 to its original position, shown in Fig. 18.

The electrical devices, which stop the cam shaft B at about 60 of its rotation and initiate and stop the flow of the welding current after a predetermined length of time and restart the cam shaft, will now be described.

The main cam shaft B, Fig. 24, carries two cams g2 and g3 which operate switches g4 and g5. As indicated in Figs. 25 and 26, the switch g4 and its cam g2 are so arranged that the switch g4 is normally open at the beginning of the cam shaft cycle and closes after the first 60 of that cycle while the switch g5 is normally closed and opens after the rst 60 revolution of the main cam shaft.

These switches are electrically connected with a tube timer gi and with a solenoid g1. operating locking in the relay gl so that relay gill remains energized after the start button a9 is released.

When the cam shaft B has advanced 60 in its revolution, the switch g5 opens, thereby de-energizing the relay gl0 and the clutch solenoid g1 and closing the contact gl3. At this point switch g4 has closed, and consequently the relay Q20 is energized through switch g4 and closed contact gl3'.

The relay Q20 starts the tube timer g6 through the contact g2l. The tube timer operates electronic switch g22, in the well known manner, to close the circuit through the primary g23 of the Welding transformer, thereby creating the welding current through the secondary Q24.

After a predetermined time, usually only a very few seconds, the tube timer operates to de-energize the control circuit of the electronic switch, which cuts off the current through the primary g23 of the transformer and stops the welding current.

In order to restart the clutch shaft 4 -after the welding current stops,'the tube timer energizes the relay 930 to close the contact 93|. 'Ihe relay g40 is thereby energized to close contact 94| which locks in the relay 940 through closed switch g4. The relay Q40 also closes a contact g42 which is in series with a normally closed contact Q32, whereby relay v is energized to close contact 95|. The current thereby flows through relay gli). This will open normally closed contact cl3 to de-energize the relay 920 and consequently the tube timer a6. Also, relay gli) closes contact gli to operate the solenoid 171 to engage the clutch to restart the cam shaft B. In addition, relay gli) by closing contact all locks itself in through switch g5 which is closed as soon as the cam shaft B starts. The rotation of the cam shaft also opens switch g4 thereby de-energizing relay Q40 to open contact gli and de-energize relay 050.

After the main cam shaft passes the 0 position, the above described cycle of operations will be repeated (upon another link) without requiring further operation of the start button.

In order to stop the cam shaft B without stopping the motor, a stop button Q is interposed in the power line. 'I'his stop button, when pressed, opens the line. It de-energizes relay gl0, thereby de-energizing the clutch solenoid g1. The clutch is of the well known pin type and therefore does not become disengaged until the end of a clutch shaft revolution. Pressing the stop button Q60 also de-energizes relays 920,

940 and 950 even if switch g4 is closed.

If the stop button gli!) is pressed during the first 60 of the cam shaft revolution, the switch g4 will be closed and the switch a5 will be opened l when the cam shaft has rotated to the 60 powhich closes a circuit through switch g5 thereby 75 sition and therefore, if the stop button has been released, the relays and all the devicesoperated thereby will be operated to make the weld as above described and the machine will continue to run.

, However, if the stop button is pushed at any point in the cycle except during the first 60 of the cam shaft rotation, the clutch shaft will complete its revolution (i. e., to 120, 180, 240, 300 or 360 in the rotation of the cam shaft) vand stop, thereby stopping the machine. 'I'he machine can again be started only by pushing the start button Q9 as above described. When the .start button 99 is pushed when switch g5 isopen (i. e., at 60 in the cycle), the button must be held down until the switch closes. i

We claim:

1. Apparatus for welding the links of a load chain comprising nesting dies for applying pressure to a link to bring the open ends of the link into rm engagement, a spring for applying additional pressure to said dies at a predetermined point in the cycle of said apparatus, a trip device for taking the thrust of said spring during other portions of the cycle of said apparatus, and power transmitting connections for cyclically operating said trip device to load and trip said spring.

2. Apparatus for automatically welding the links of a load chain comprising nesting dies for holding a link in welding position, pairs of electrodes for gripping said link ends, air cushioned means for moving said nesting dies together to apply an initial pressure on said link, thereby bringing said link ends into rm engagement, a, loadable spring, a trip device for loading said spring, connections between said spring and one f said nesting dies operable upon actuation of said trip device to apply additional pressure to said nesting dies and power transmission means for cyclically operating said trip device to load and trip said spring.

3. In apparatus for welding the links of a load l chain having swaging dies reciprocable towards and away from a link positioned in welding position along paths directionally transverse to the axis of said positioned link, a cutter mounted for movement through a path substantially transverse to said swaging die paths for severing portions of a burr formed on said link, and means for cyclically operating said cutter along said path.

4. In apparatus for welding the links of a load chain having swaging dies reciprocable in a vertical plane towards and away from a link positioned in welding position, a cutter mounted for movement through a horizontal path for severing portions of a burr formed on said link, and means for cyclically operating said cutter along said path.

5. In a machine for the electric welding of chain links each made of a single piece of metal and bent to form an open link with its ends opposite to and in proximity to one another, said machine having nesting dies for holding the link in welding position, pairs of electrodes for engaging the link close to its ends and for passing a welding current across said ends, and reciprocating swaging dies to swage the link, the combination of means to press said nesting dies toward one another in two stages comprising air cushioned devices to press the ends of the link into contact before the inception of the welding current as the rst stage and devices to apply additional pressure to press the ends of the link together to form the weld as the second stage, said last named devices including a spring pressed member, a detent to hold said member from movement, means to trip the detent and meansto limit positively the extent of the pushup movement of said member, whereby the weld is made and a burr of heated soft metal is extruded around the weld, and means to cut off parts of said burr, said means comprising a cutter and operating devices, actuated before the reciprocation of the swaging dies, to move the cutter in a plane parallel to the plane of the link to cut off heated soft metal of the burr while the link is held in welding position.

6. In a machine for the electric welding of chain linkseach made of a single piece of metal and bent to form an open link with its ends opposite to and in proximity to one another, said machine having nesting dies for holding4 the link in welding position, pairs of electrodes for engaging the link close to its ends and for passing a welding current across said ends and reciprocating'swaging dies to swage the link, in combination therewith means to press said nesting dies toward one another to form a weld between the ends of said link with an extruded burr, a cutter adapted to cut off parts of said burr and operating devices, actuated before the reciprocation of the swaging dies, to move the cutter in a plane parallel to the plane of the link to cut off heated soft metal of the burr while the link is held in welding position.

7. In a machine for the electric welding of chain links each made of a single piece of metal and bent to form an open link with its ends opposite to and in proximity to one another, said machine having nesting dies for holding the link in welding position, pairs of electrodes for engaging the link close' to its ends and for passing a welding current across said ends, and reciprocating swaging dies to swage the link, the combination of means to press said nesting dies toward one another to increase the pressure exerted by said dies on a link held thereby and extrude softened metal of a held link into a burr, a cutter, and operating devices adapted to be actuated before the reciprocation of the swaging dies, to move the cutter to cut oi a portion of the burr of the held link.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim '7, in which the cutter is mounted for movement through a cutting path substantially transverse to the paths of reciprocation of the swaging dies.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the cutter is mounted for movement along a cutting path disposed parallel to the major axis of the held link.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the cutter is of semi-circular contour and of a size corresponding substantially to the gauge of the link through a predetermined arc, and in which said cutter is mounted for movement along a cutting path disposed parallel to the major axis of the held link.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the pressure increasing means includes a loadable spring, a trip device for taking the thrust of said spring when loaded, and power transmission means for cyclically loading and tripping said spring.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the pressure increasing means includes a loadable spring, a trip device for taking the thrust of said spring when loaded, power transmission means for cyclically loading and tripping said spring and a mechanical stop for positively limiting the relative movement of said nesting dies in response to thethrust of said spring when said device is tripped.

13. In a machine for the' electric welding of chain links each made of a single piece of metal and bent to form an open link with its ends opposite to and in proximity to one another, said machine having nesting dies for-holding the link in welding position, pairs of electrodes for engaging the link close to its ends and for passing a welding current across said ends and reciprocating swaging dies to swage the link, in combination therewith means to press said nesting dies toward one another in two stages comprising air cushioned devices to press the ends.

of the link into contact before the inception of the welding current as the ilrst stage and devices to apply additional pressure Ato press the ends of the link together to form the weld as the second stage, said last named devices including a spring pressed member, a detent to hold said member from movement, means to trip the detent and means to limit positively the extent of the pushup movement of said member.

14. In electric welding apparatus, opposed devices for holding the work to be welded in welding position, means for moving said devices together to apply an initial low pressure on said work, resilient means for increasing the pressure applied to said work by said devices, a detentI to hold said means from movement and power transmission means for tripping said detent to apply the pressure of said resilient means to in which rigid connections are interposed between the resilient means and one of said opposed devices for transmitting to said devices the high pressure applied by said resilient means upon tripping the detent.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, in which the movement of said devices in response to the high pressure applied by said resilient means is positively limited by a mechanical stop.

18. In apparatus for welding chain links, opposed nesting dies movable towards and away from one another to hold a link of a chain, a cutter mounted formovement in a path parallel to the plane of a link held by said dies for severing a burr formed adjacent a weld in said link and power transmission means for moving said cutter along saidV path while said dies hold said link.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, in which the cutter is substantially semi-circular in contour and of a size substantially coinciding with the gauge of the link throughout a predetermined arc.

FRANCIS H. SPEED. JOHN S PIKE. 

